MN MN - Spring Grove, WhtMale 20-35, UP8772, skull in basement fire pit of home, Est YOD 1960, Dec'05

[Susikatze]

Judging from the skull's appearance/condition, it's really old. I definitely won't be surprised if it was used as a medical specimen.

It appears it has a very clean cut edge on top that does not match the regular cranial suture breaks. Looks it was cut open for autopsy or as a medical specimen

 

[The4TierBridge]

I noticed that there were three very round holes in the temporal bones of the skull that appeared to have been made by a continuous motion (something going in one end and out the other). I saw somebody on Facebook suggest that these could be bullet holes, but given this skull was probably an old medical specimen is it possible that it was made by some kind of surgical tool like a bone drill? Or is this just something that’s naturally there on all of our skulls and I’m just being really stupid? I know this isn’t where the openings for the ears are.

 

[Susikatze]

View attachment 579993
I noticed that there were three very round holes in the temporal bones of the skull that appeared to have been made by a continuous motion (something going in one end and out the other). I saw somebody on Facebook suggest that these could be bullet holes, but given this skull was probably an old medical specimen is it possible that it was made by some kind of surgical tool like a bone drill? Or is this just something that’s naturally there on all of our skulls and I’m just being really stupid? I know this isn’t where the openings for the ears are.

I think that happened postmortem. Hard to see the edges, though. Maybe thats where springs and wires to attach the cranial vault and jawbone were for the specimen. I am fairly certain this is a specimen

 

[Susikatze]

It's disturbing to think a body donated for medical research or use could have been treated like this (and of course very disturbing to think about even worse possiblities.)

Quote RSBM.

Well the doctor whose office this building once was passed away or moved out in 1931 and whoever emptied the house and closed the fireplace threw all sorts of debris and garbage in the fireplace - including the skull. They may not have been aware it being a real human skull.